How to find ownership history?? (1 Viewer)

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85roktoy

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Recently purchased a 77 40. It’s had a partial restore but the PO only had it about a year saying it came from Cali and didn’t know much. Will a carfax show much on these vehicles? I’d like to find previous owners and any info that I can. Thoughts?
 
Probably because PO’s usually screw SO many things up!🤨
 
I'm not certain, but the lack of a 17 digit vin #, carfax won't have anything on it.
 
while i dont know for certain, i would be willing to be carfax isnt going to have much on these....why is it so many people want to stalk the po of these?
Don't know either but maybe it is to rub it in that they have been so stupid to sell their loved 40 in the first place and on top of it why they have sold it so dirt cheap ?!
 
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I would personally look Forward from here on out ........



Digging up the past of any and all possibly Previous Owners is going to do nothing but give you a big S##T Sandwich to then have to deal with ....

you will then loose focus on whats really important , and that's enjoying what you have now .......
 
CarFax requires a seventeen digit VIN for search of any records. So no luck there. I would suggest the OP wait and couple of years and if he still owns will realize the vehicle's isn't as important as it was when he first bought it. New purchase on any vehicle to want know as much as you can. Few years later not as near important. I would also be curious of the turn over rate of the 40 series. Guess I'm just too old and dumb to realize how primitive these vehicles are. Today it's how do I improve the ride, how do I install power steering, if it doesn't have four wheel disc brakes it's a death trap. The 40 series is really based off the 20 series which started in 1955. The idea this would make a good DD is beyond me.
 
I know I have my original owners info (was on my original warranty book) I don’t really want to ask questions, just let them know it’s not scraped. I haven’t contacted them but with the care the original owner took. I think it would be neat to let them know someone that cares has it again..
 
See if PO has name and/or contact for the person owning it before them.
 
I was trying to trace to the original selling dealer of my rig for fun (and ask about a unique mod done to the vehicle many years ago), just to confirm it’s always been in my state. I ended up speaking with the PO, having a great chat and allowing him to tell old stories taking it hunting and running trails w his kid, he was very pleased I was enjoying it very similarly. He ended up mailing me 20 years worth of maintenance records after that. Additionally, I found a paycheck stub from 1985 caught in a corner somewhere in the rig. I tracked the fella down hoping to get the dealer info (‘82 rig). The fella had passed, his elderly mother answered the phone, she did not have the info I wanted, but did she ever enjoy telling me about her son exploring the mtns in the rig and was happy I had it and was enjoying it. Was very sweet.
My point? You might not get the info your after, but contacting PO’s can be fun for both sides :)
 
I was trying to trace to the original selling dealer of my rig for fun (and ask about a unique mod done to the vehicle many years ago), just to confirm it’s always been in my state. I ended up speaking with the PO, having a great chat and allowing him to tell old stories taking it hunting and running trails w his kid, he was very pleased I was enjoying it very similarly. He ended up mailing me 20 years worth of maintenance records after that. Additionally, I found a paycheck stub from 1985 caught in a corner somewhere in the rig. I tracked the fella down hoping to get the dealer info (‘82 rig). The fella had passed, his elderly mother answered the phone, she did not have the info I wanted, but did she ever enjoy telling me about her son exploring the mtns in the rig and was happy I had it and was enjoying it. Was very sweet.
My point? You might not get the info your after, but contacting PO’s can be fun for both sides :)

In 1990 or '91, I was looking at a low-miles '89 Toyota mini truck on a Ford dealer's used car lot. It was an extra cab and was fairly loaded. It seemed nice, but I just wasn't sure. While i was test driving it, I looked in the glove box and found the registration with the previous owner's name and address, so I found his number in the phone book (remember those?) and called him and told him that I was looking at his old truck. He was really helpful, and said he loved that truck, but the payments just got to be too much and the payments on a new Ford truck were way less so he traded it. Armed with that knowledge, I ended up buying that truck for less than 2/3 the new price, and drove it for another 200,000+ miles.
 
I was trying to trace to the original selling dealer of my rig for fun (and ask about a unique mod done to the vehicle many years ago), just to confirm it’s always been in my state. I ended up speaking with the PO, having a great chat and allowing him to tell old stories taking it hunting and running trails w his kid, he was very pleased I was enjoying it very similarly. He ended up mailing me 20 years worth of maintenance records after that. Additionally, I found a paycheck stub from 1985 caught in a corner somewhere in the rig. I tracked the fella down hoping to get the dealer info (‘82 rig). The fella had passed, his elderly mother answered the phone, she did not have the info I wanted, but did she ever enjoy telling me about her son exploring the mtns in the rig and was happy I had it and was enjoying it. Was very sweet.
My point? You might not get the info your after, but contacting PO’s can be fun for both sides :)


Glad it worked out for you. Back in the mid nineties a friend told me about a FJ45 he has spotted in a driveway. I went over to the house on knocked on the door (I was on the hunt for a 45 pickup at the time. Someone opened the door and as soon as I mentioned the truck the door for slammed in my face. As I was leaving a young woman came out and explained the truck belonged to her brother who had pasted away. Just mentioning the truck upset her parents. I said I was sorry for bothering them and left. I did tell her that the pile of sand in the bed bed would rust the bed even her in AZ, couldn't help myself on that. Within a week the truck was moved behind a fence and never knew what happens to it.

In 1990 or '91, I was looking at a low-miles '89 Toyota mini truck on a Ford dealer's used car lot. It was an extra cab and was fairly loaded. It seemed nice, but I just wasn't sure. While i was test driving it, I looked in the glove box and found the registration with the previous owner's name and address, so I found his number in the phone book (remember those?) and called him and told him that I was looking at his old truck. He was really helpful, and said he loved that truck, but the payments just got to be too much and the payments on a new Ford truck were way less so he traded it. Armed with that knowledge, I ended up buying that truck for less than 2/3 the new price, and drove it for another 200,000+ miles.

Certainly different asking a PO of a truck a year or two old rather than one that is forty year old.

This thread made me curious about the one owner 1970 I bought ten years ago from the original owner. He was 86 and early stages of Alzheimer's. I rarely drive it and thinking about selling it. The idea of someone trying to contact the owner bothered so I did a search on the web and found out he pasted away in 2017 and his wife nine days later. I took a photo of the title before transfered it my name proof of the original owner which will share with a buyer. While I was pretty sure he has past by now finding out his wife past nine days later made me sad. Didn't want someone bothering his widow. After finding they both died and how close I still feel some times it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
 
former owner of my 40 was a dedicated enough to be a tlca member. i originally seen it listed on craigslist in west virginia about 6 years ago. didn’t buy it then. actually bought it off a guy north of cincinnati 3 years ago. i would like to let the guy in west virginia know it’s being fixed and is back driving again. Also who’s idea was the ****ing sunroof!!!!!!!

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